Foldable File Tray

ABSTRACT

A foldable file tray has a rectangular bottom, a pair of side panels being pivotally linked to the bottom, and a rear panel being pivotally linked to the bottom. At least one protrusion is formed on an upper edge of each of side panel. Recesses are defined on a lower surface of the bottom in accordance with the protrusions. One rear groove is defined in each side panel, and, one rear tenon is formed on each rear panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a file tray in the field of stationery, and more particularly, to a foldable file tray which is able to be expanded for storage and be assembled for use through simple operations.

2. Description of Related Art

File trays that are able to be placed on a table for containing paper files are common stationery. Such file trays may have one bottom, a pair of side walls and a rear wall extending upward from the bottom, and, in some instance, a front wall which is a little shorter than the side walls. The side, the rear, and the front walls of all conventional file trays are not movable with respect to the bottoms, i. e., the file trays are not expandable for storage. Such file trays will take a lot volume for storage, which may cause waste of space in placement and transportation. Another kind of file trays may further have a frame which is able to be placed on a table. One or more file trays may be supported on the frame one above another, either fixed or slidable. However, for this kind of file tray, the frame itself will occupy a lot space, and a quantity of file trays each frame may contain is fixed. A user will not able to place more file trays on the frame than the fixed number. And a number less than the fixed will cause aesthetic defect.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the invention is to provide a foldable file tray a pair of side walls and a rear wall thereof is able to be expandable or assembled with respect to a bottom thereof through simple operations, thus decrease a necessary space for storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable file tray each side wall thereof has at least one top protrusion and at least one corresponding bottom recess for receiving the top protrusion. When one such file tray is placed above upon another, the top protrusion of a lower file tray is just received in the bottom recess of the upper file tray. Thus, any quantity of file trays may be piled one on one to decrease space for storage.

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a foldable file tray having:

-   -   a rectangular bottom having a pair of parallel side borders, a         rear border, a front border, an upper surface, and a lower         surface,     -   a pair of side panels, each side panel having a lower edge, an         upper edge, a front edge, and a rear edge, with the lower edge         thereof being pivotally linked to the side borders,         respectively, at least one protrusion being formed on the upper         edge of each of the side panel, respectively, recesses being         defined on the lower surface of the bottom in accordance with         the protrusions, one rear groove being defined in each side         panel respectively near each rear edge, and,     -   a rear panel having one lower rim and two side rims, with the         lower rim thereof being pivotally linked to the rear border of         the bottom, one rear tenon being formed on each side rims of the         rear panel.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying, drawings, and the appended claims,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the foldable file tray of the invention.

FIG. 2 is another schematic perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is yet another schematic perspective view thereof showing an expanded status.

FIG. 4 is another schematic perspective view of the foldable file tray shown in FIG. 3. And,

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of more than one piled foldable file trays shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a preferred embodiment of a foldable file tray 1 of the invention is shown. The foldable file tray 1 has a rectangular bottom 10. The bottom 10 has a pair of parallel side borders 11, 12, a rear border 13, a front border 14, an upper surface 15, and a lower surface 16. The foldable file tray 1 further has a pair of side panels 21, 22 and a rear panel 23. Each side panel 21, 22 has a lower edge 210, 220, an upper edge 211, 221, a front edge 212, 222, and a rear edge 213, 223, with the lower edge 210, 220 thereof being pivotally linked to the side borders 11, 12, respectively. The rear panel 23 has one lower rim 230 and two side rims 231, with the lower rim 230 thereof being pivotally linked to the rear border 13 of the bottom 10. The foldable file tray 1 may further has a front panel 24 having a pair of side brims 241 and one lower brim 240 being pivotally linked to the front border 14 of the bottom 10. There are many ways of pivotal linking of the panels to the bottom, such as hinge, gemel, a relatively thinner rubber or plastic. The way of linking shown in the preferred embodiment is thin flexible plastic. As the linking is a conventional skill, it will not be described here in detail. At least one protrusion 214, 224 is formed on the upper edge 211, 221 of each of the side panel 21, 22, respectively. Recesses 17 are defined on the lower surface 16 of the bottom 10 in accordance with the protrusions 214, 224 on the side panels 21, 22. One rear tenon 232 is formed on each side rims 231 of the rear panel 23 and one rear groove 215, 225 is defined in each side panel 21, 22 respectively near each rear edge 213, 223. One front tenon 242 is formed on each side brims 241 of the front panel 24 and one front groove 216, 226 is defined in each side panel 21, 22 respectively near each front edge 212, 222.

Shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is an expanded foldable file tray. In use, a user is able to rotate the rear panel 23 to the upper surface 15 of the bottom 10 with one hand, and then rotate one side panel 21 to the upper surface 15 of the bottom 10 with the other hand, until the rear groove 215 in this side panel 21 meets, enters, and engages with the rear tenon 232 of the rear panel 23. The user is able to rotate the other side panel 21 of the other side likewise until the other rear groove 225 in the side panel 21 engages with the rear tenon 232 of the rear panel 23. If there is a front panel 24, the user is then able to rotate the front panel 24 to the upper surface 15 of the bottom 10 likewise, and align the front tenons 242 to the front groove 216, 226 and insert the front tenons 242 into the front grooves 216, 226 respectively. An engagement between the tenons 232, 242 and, the grooves 215, 225, 216, 226 can be close fit. And a small embossment or hook may be provided on the tenons 232, 242 in order to make the engagement firm. The engagement between the tenons 232, 242 and the grooves 215, 225, 216, 226 is a conventional skill and will not described here in detail.

As shown in FIG. 5, the user is able to pile the foldable file trays 1 one upon one only if he aligns the recesses 17 in the lower surface 16 of one foldable file tray 1 to the protrusions 214, 224 on the side panel 21, 22 of another foldable file tray 1.

From above description, it could be seen that the side panels 21, 22 and the rear panel 23 are able to be expanded to a plane, which will significantly save a space for storage of the foldable file tray of the invention. Secondly, a desirable quantity of foldable file trays is able to be piled up one by one without the frame, which not only limits the quantity of the trays but also occupies a large space.

From above description, it is seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. Embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from the invention's principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims. 

1. A foldable file tray comprising: a rectangular bottom having a pair of parallel side borders, a rear border, a front border, an upper surface, and a lower surface, a pair of side panels, each side panel having a lower edge, an upper edge, a front edge, and a rear edge, with said lower edge thereof being pivotally linked to said side borders, respectively, at least one protrusion being formed on said upper edge of each of said side panel, respectively, recesses being defined on said lower surface of said bottom in accordance with said protrusions, one rear groove being defined in each side panel respectively near each rear edge, and, a rear panel having one lower rim and two side rims, with said lower rim thereof being pivotally linked to said rear border of said bottom, one rear tenon being formed on each side rims of said rear panel.
 2. The foldable file tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foldable file tray further has a front panel having a pair of side brims and one lower brim being pivotally linked to said front border of said bottom, one front tenon being formed on each side brims of said front panel and one front groove being defined in each side panel respectively near each front edge. 